You know what they say about De-Nile

Deep in my heart I knew that rowan cocoon was no substitute for a 3 ply non mohair yarn. But I had been drooling over the colors for months, fondling a skein or two when I made the drive to Woolgathering. It seemed like the perfect idea to buy a skein of it rather than another expensive skein of yak down. Then my honorary brother would get a nice brown hat, I would get to fulfill a desire and save some bucks.

As I went to take the ball band off the skein I heard the little voice in my head say, "This is a bad idea. Just leave that ball band on and we'll exchange it for something else." My Tarueen stubbornness kicked in and I screamed, "No everything will be fine! Cocoon and I will have a love affair of epic proportions and together we will make the most beautiful of hats. My honorary brother will let of a squeal of glee when I give the hat to him and then we will celebrate by eating donuts." (Note: the eating of donuts was the only thing based in reality) So I cast on for another Koolhaus and everything was find and dandy except for the really annoying splittiness of the yarn. This did not sour my enthusiasm though, because the ribbing looked fine and the color still lovely. I got to the lattice pattern and puttered along so well my husband was impressed with the progress I'd made. Then on a Monday (of course) I was sure I'd made a mistake and knitted a row of the chart twice. I checked three times and then ripped out a good two inches. As I picked up my stitches I looked at my knitting again and realized that I hadn't made a mistake. Two inches had just been ripped out for no reason, not to mention it was really hard to get this yarn back on the needles.

This was the turning point in my relationship with cocoon. I realized that this was a high maintenance, willful yarn that would not do my bidding. The mohair fuzzed out obscuring the lattice pattern, making me ask myself if it was worth doing a whole row of cable crosses if you couldn't see the gosh darn pattern. The hat sat for a week or two while I canvased ravelry for a different pattern. The solution seemed to be to rip back to the ribbing and knit a ribbed hat with a few cable twists. It was a classic look that should be simple enough for the mohair.

So I ripped (ya the mohair make that reallllll fun) and started re-knitting, making it up as I went. I worked on this for several days this week, enlisting my husband as my head model. Flat the hat looked no so great, but I told myself this was fine because it looked much better on my husbands head. Yesterday I finished it and threw it on my husband for a final fitting. He said, "Oh I like this," and sounded sincere. I asked if the hat felt like it was pulling up on his head. He hesitated and then agreed that it did feel like it was a bit short and that the bottom ribbing was too loose. I popped the hat on my head went to the mirror and said, "Oh crap."" Yes the scales fell from my eyes and I realized that this yarn was not going to make the kind of hat I wanted to give to my honorary brother. It was not the beautiful love child of a torrid yarn affair. It was a knitted turd. Sighhhhhhh

Socks in Trees

Lots of free time because your in-laws are feeding you = almost two full socks knitted in 4 days. Now for the Parade of socks in trees. heeheee!!!!

Woolgirl sock club shipment number two. Yarn is Spunky Eclectic in Irish dreams. The sock pattern Irish dreams has lots of little knots that slowly drive you crazy. They look very pretty though so you keep doing it.
























This sock was finished up today after my train ride. Now it will hang around look for it's mate. Brown sock is knit in Hazel Knits Artisan sock yarn and the Pattern in Freya.























Look at the pretty cables!

And one last picture just for fun.

When Irish eyes are smiling

The next shipment of the Woolgirl sock club has been here for over a week and I have not blogged. Bad bad bad. All this great sock yarn in yesterday's post showed up in the mail in the same week and I got distracted.

This particular yarn I would not have bought myself but it that's one of the fun things about a sock club. Yarn that smells of lavender is always a plus. Lots of fun goodies also inside, sheep magnet, tea (not pictured) lavender soap and stitch marker. Jen's club is so much fun! I want to join the seven deadly spins club but I don't think the budget can take it.

While I'm occupied with all this crab appears to be knitting me a Charade sock. Good Fluffy, you could teach frog a thing or two.

Get 'er done

One little red baby sweater for my very nice non knitting friend. Just in time to since their little girl was born last Wednesday. She's very cute with lots of hair.
A couple of weeks back I had a big knitting push it get this done but ran out of yarn with only one side of the button band to go. Lucky the baby decided to be overdue a week which gave me enough time to order more. This sweater got finished off with pretty looking vintage buttons from my grandma's stash (Boy does she have a stash!) The knit picks Swish yarn needs a good steam pressing after blocking. But it does look very nice after that. I still don't think I can knit with it again, the hand just feels nasty. Too bad since the price is inexpensive and the colors very pretty.

Let's talk about yarn I really like instead. This month I got two new skeins of sock yarn that were not club packages. They both rock! Frog has graciously agreed to be our sock yarn Vanna White and show off the new purchase. The gray color was dyed by Funky Carolina and is called Platinum. It is that shiny. Love love love me some gray yarn. The brown color is by Hazel knits and she gets her base yarn specially milled for her. I don't know what they do, but that yarn feels great. The color Chocolatier is much nicer in person. Some non knitters drooled over it, so you know it looks good. Hazel Knits has many many pretty colors so go buy some on Etsy.
These two aren't getting put in the stash drawer. Frog and I will snuggle with them while watching TV and think about the beautiful socks we are going to make.
Tonight's "How I met your mother," is called Slapsgiving. I can hardly wait.

Socks Socks Socks

Two Christmas gifts done now. :) Mom's Christmas socks are finally done. Only look me months and months of knitting different patterns to get here. These rock and I want my own pair. I think natures palette is my new favorite solid sock yarn. Look how nice those cables look on. Drool Drool....

Then I got tired of Christmas knitting and decided to finish my woolgirl club socks. Knitting sport socks is crazy fast, only took two days to crank the second one out.

They keep my feet nice and cozy now that the apartment is cold. Hooray for the Woolgirl sock club.

So what's going on with you?

I'm back baby and I've got FO's all over the place. And yarn and a book! Let's start with the book because it's so precious that I almost started squealing in the middle of Borders. You must have your own copy of Itty-Bitty Nursery. Why? I'll tell you why! You need your own Mouse Mobil. There are more mouse close ups in the book which is why you must at least go to your local book store and page through it.


















And more importantly for all the frog lovers out there a frog pacifier clip. Ohhh so cute, I just want squeeze him! This books also has several cute sweaters, hats and blankets. Next time I have a baby to gift knit for I know what book I'll be reaching for.

Real knitting content tomorrow because all these pictures are messing with blogger.

Raw material and FO's

This is me being good and buying supplies for Christmas presents.

This is me being a bit naughty buying old issues with patterns I want to knit. I was using the rationalization that I'm helping my "localish" yarn store.




















This is me being very bad buying fabric because it's pretty and because the corduroy haunted me last time I didn't get it. And I didn't have to buy any of it from JoAnns.





























Frog approves of my green purchases


I have one Christmas present finished, Hooray! I give you the Koohaaus Hat in Shokay Shambala Yak down, which does feel divine. Everyone at work rubbed the hat on their faces as I watched in horror. Didn't know I have to tell people, "Please don't rub this on your face since it's a gift." The hat is soaking right now and turning the water into a nice Caribbean blue. Now I see why people like to knit hats as gifts. They go so fast. This one was done in four days. I plan on knitting a few more of this pattern in various other yarns.

Mom's Christmas socks would also be done today if I didn't, gasp, run out of yarn. My gauge seemed to get a little looser on the second sock and it sucked the yarn for the toe right up. Gonna have to buy another skein , or maybe two so I could make some short socks for myself with the left overs. Heee hee socks for me what a concept.